Effect of Super Absorbent Polymer Aquasorb on Growth, Establishment and Some Physiological Charactereistics of Acacia victoriae Seedlings Under Drought Stress

Abstract

To study the effect of Aquazorb super absorbent polymer (SAP) on reducing Drought stress of Acacia victoriae seedling, a split plot experiment based on the completely randomized design was conducted. In this research, stressed treatment as the main plots and amount of superabsorbent were considered as sub plot. Treatments were applied consisted of four levels of drought stress (15, 30, 60 and 100% of field capacity) and four levels of superabsorbent (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 wt%) Were studied. The results showed that survival of seedlings at the end of growth season between different treatments was the same, but the Acacia growth was responsed to the water stress and reduced growth traits were found. Using of the superabsorbent polymer had a significant effect on collar diameter, seedling height, fresh and dry root weight, relative water content of leaf and proline. According to the comparison of the means simple effects, in all of growth indices except the leaf area and root fresh weight the most means was obtained in 0.2% superabsorbent polymer treatment and also, in comparison the effect of diferent factors in most of the traits the highest means compared with 100% irrigation level without applying SAP related was to 60% irrigation level with 0.2 % SAP. That represents water savings is about 40%.